USA Today, May 12: Stafford appears to be a player who genuinely is happy he landed at the headquarters of the lowliest franchise in the league -- and not just because of his six-year deal that includes a guaranteed $41.7 million with a maximum value of $78 million.

He's saying all the right things and seems to have immediately grasped the larger situation at hand.

His new team is hurting, but so is his new town.

Just as Drew Brees and Reggie Bush did when arriving in New Orleans, attending and promoting numerous rebuilding efforts and fundraisers, Stafford says he wants to do much of the same thing.

"I know the city is struggling in many ways," he says, "and I'm trying to find something I'm passionate about -- because I don't want to just write a check."

No, seriously, Matt ... you don't gotta lift a finger except to write me a check. I mean, if you WANNA hit up a Tigers game together or somethin', that's cool. But feel free to go ahead with that check.